Fire-alarm system.



D. G,. DEE.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION mum APB.20, 1911.

. 1,015,733 Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

l l l fil l i unrrnn STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

DAVID G. DEE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK; ASSIGNOR TO DENIO GENERAL ELFC'JIRIC COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FIRE-ALARM ,SYS-TEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

Application filed April 20,1911. Serial No. 622,332.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known thatjI, D'Avn) Gr. DEE, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Systems; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a. full,'cl'ear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and'to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

The present invention relates to fire.

I alarm systems, and it has for its object the provision of a fire alarm system operable either manually or automatically and especially adapted for use in connection with telephone circuits, the arrangement being such that-the operating mechanism for the fire alarm is controlled by a circuit which is always closed. p

A further object of my invention is to provide means for giving a signal to the central exchange from a subscribers circuit whenever there is a break, ground, ac.- cidental short circuit,- or other trouble in the fire alarm circuit, without operating the fire alarm itself, but permitting the fire alarm to be actuated, in case of fire, during the existence of the trouble condition in the circuit. To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims atthe end of the specification.

The drawing is a diagrammatic View, illustratrn one embodiment of the invention, as applied to two floors of a building,- one' floor employing a three wire fire alarm circuit with thermostatic and manually controlled circuit closers, and the other floor employing a two wire fire alarm circuit with manually controlled circuit closers. I The invention may be carried out in varl- I ous ways, and a convenient application of it, is disclosed. in the presentembodiment which involves a closed fire alarmcircuit including a resistance element, the shunting-' of which by operation of the manuallycom trolled or thermostatic circuit closers, serves to efiect operation of the fire alarm'which is transmitted to the central exchange, anda break, ground, accidental short circuit or other trouble in the fire alarm circuit serving to actuate a signaling device in the sub scribers circuit which, also, is transmitted to the, central exchange, means being provided for simultaneouslygiving a. local indication of the trouble in the fire alarm circuit, and fr r convenience in the following description the lastmentioned signals will hereinafter be referred to as the central trouble signal, and the local trouble signal, respectively. 1

In the drawing A indicates the main telephone circuit, leading from the central exchange to the fire alarm box E, and G is the subscribers circuit, connected with the main circuit A as asual.

D and D are the fire alarm circuits, bot-h connected through battery B to the alarm box E, as shown, the one comprising a two wire system including manuallyoperated circuit closers, and the latter comprising a three wire system arranged for either thermostatic or manually controlled circuitclosers, the principle of operation being subupon the shunting of resistance-in the fire alarm circuit. To this end, the,.circuit D in the present embodiment, includes relays R- and R and circuit D includes'relay R. The relays R R and R are' normally energized by the current flowing through thefire alarm circuit from battery B,'they being of approximately 200 ohms resistance each to conveniently effect the desired pur-1 .pose, and proportioned so that their armatures, when once released by the shunting of thecurrent, are not again attracted by re energizing the magnets but must be manually reset. The relays ofthe present em;

bodiment include multiple poin; armatures,

for a purpose which will presently be made clear, the armature of relay R including. contacts a, b, c, d, the armature of relay R including contacts 6, f,g, and the armature of relay R includingcontactsh, 2', j, In, contacts" a, g and h being connected to the circuit F leading to the subscribers circuit C and including therewithin the central trouble signal, comprising in the present embodiment, the. relay :3 connected, as

shown.', and the armature of, which is arranged to be vibrated 'upon ,the closing ofthe circuit by the alternate energizing and denergizing of the electromagnet.

Thusrwhen a break 'occurs'within .the firealarm circuit, one of the controlling relays and actuate the signal relay R which, by .its operation, transmits a buzzing sound to the central operator, who. is'thus advised the subsequent operation of the fire alarm.

releases. its respective armature, according tothe location of the break, to close circuit thatv there is trouble somewhere in-the fire alarm circuit. This actiondoes not prevent V box, in case. of fire, but vthe'latteris not operated to give an alarm as long as there-- sistance of a relay is included inthe circuit. I That is to say, the alarmis actuated from circuit Dt only when both relays R? and R? are shuntedand similarly from circuit/D 5 when relay R is shunted, But the-release of anyone of the 'armatu'res of the '..controlling relays will give a trouble signal to the central exchange.

Inthe normal operation of the fire alarm circuit D ,-the current passes from battery B to relay R to relay R to annunciator H to relay R to relay R of the alarm box,

- change.

and back to the battery. For circuit D the current normally passes from battery B to' trolling relay R. In the event of a fire,

causing operation of the thermostatic circuit closers, or necessitating the operationof the manually controlled circuit closer, both relays It and R are shunted, and the relay R of the alarm box is energized, to attract its armature and effectoperation of the alarm, which is transmitted to the central lex in circuit D the armature of relay R? is released, butprovisionis :made by means of contact audits connections, for causmg the current to pass through the electromagnet R by a dili'erent path,ithus continuing the resistance inthe circuit and preventing operation of the alarm, but giving thet'rouble signal to .the central exchange by :the.

closing of the trouble signal ,circuit throughcontact. h. It onehof "the manually controlled circuit closers'of. circuit D?- is closed,

the relay Rt is shunted, ca'us'mg-the: relay R at the alarm box tobe energized-gandjthe" alarm toib'eflsent.inv to the central exchange;-

- In theeventoftroublein' the'firealarm l h 4:1 claim; as my mvent-1-on:

circuit, and transmission. of the alarm to the central exchange, '1t 1s,=des1rable also'to giveto the subscriber fan-findication of the trouble the alarm circuit,

somewhere in the circuit.

In case of a break or other trouble breaksfcircuit ker losed by. .a

the localtrouble-signal circuit is also closed.

and indication thereby given to the subscriber that a break or other troubleexists It is further deand to this end, I provide a' local trouble I sirable'togive a trouble signal to the central I exchange and to the subscriber in case of a' groundinthe alarm circuit, and to this end .a convenient-means, illustrated in the pres ent embodiment, consists in splitting the to the ground through the two point relay R".v The contacts Z and m of relay R are there is .a ground in the alarm circuit.

In order'to indicate to the subscriber the battery B and making connection therefrom" connected, respectively, with the. main trouparticular location of the fire in'the building, in case of the operation of the fire alarm, there are provided the annunciators I1 and H arranged, respectively, in the ergized when the tire alarm isgiven to the central exchange, upon the shunting of the resistance'kin the fire-alarm circuit.-

The subscrlbers clrcuit is automatically out out of themain telephone circuit upon operation of the fire alarm by the release of thespring-controlled switch 'arm m, which is held normally inengagement with the contact niby the projection 0,;carried by'the' vfire alarmlwheel p. As soon asrelayqzRfis I energized; the alarm wheel 2;, commences to ate, eing: leased by imma ure 1.9; and. ,Jmovin'gthe projection abutlof iengagement I; The combination with'a'main telephone th the' s th i iwh llifa inke G j the. ma ir i -A Mine- Suitable.-cn nctibn betw en" lscribers circuit, a resistance "element, included in the fire alarm circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, and means controlled by shunting the resistance element in the fire alarm circuit" for operating the alarmr 2. The combination with a main telephone circuit and a subs'cribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscriberstelephone cir cuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, resistance elements included in the fire alarm circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, and means controlled by shunting one of the re 'sistance elementsin the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit.

3. The combination with a main telephone circuit and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarmcircuit and with the main telephone circuit, a resistance element included in the fire alarm circuit, means controlled by a break or ground in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit, and means controlled by shunting the resistance in the fire alarm circuit for operating the alarm.

4. The combination with a main telephone circuit and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers telephone circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, a plurality of resistance elements included in the fire alarm circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by shunting one ot the resistance elements in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit, and means controlled by shunting all of the resistance elements in the fire alarm circuit for operating the alarm.

5. The combination with a main telephone circuit and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers telephone circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with-the main telephone circuit, a resistance element included in the fire alarm circuit, means controlled by a disturbance in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit, and means controlled by the shunting of the resistance in the fire alarm circuit for operating the fire alarm.

'6. The combination with a main telephone circuit and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by a break or ground in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in subscribers circuit, and means controlled by short circuiting the fire alarm circuit for operating the alarm.

circuit relay for operating the alarm.

8. The combination with a main telephone circuit, and a subscribers circuit, of a signaling relay included in the 7 subscribers circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, a pair of relays included in the fire alarm circuit, a fire alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by the shunting of one of the fire alarm circuit rfilays for operating the signaling relay in t e alarm circuit relays for operating the alarm.

9. The combination wlth a mam telephone clrcuit and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers telephone circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adaptedto control the subscribers circuit, resistance an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by shunting one ot the resistance elements in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit, and a local trouble signal arranged tohe actuated upon the'operation of the signal in theisubscribers circuit.

10. The combination with a main telephone circuit, and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, a resistance element included in the fire alarm circuit, means controlled by a break or ground in the fire alarm circuit for operating the sig-. mil in the subscribers circuit, means controlled by shunting the resistance in the fire alarm circuit for operating the alarm, and a local trouble signal arranged to be actuated upon the operation of the signal in the subscribers circuit.

11. The combination with a main telephone circuit, and a'subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers telephone subscribers circuit, and means con-' trolled by the shunting of both the fire elements included in the fire alarm circuit,

circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, a plurality of resistance elements'included in the fire alarm circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarmcircuit and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by shunting one of the resistance elements in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit, means controlled by shunting all of the resistance elements in the fire alarm circuit for operating the alarm, and a local trouble signal arranged to be actuated upon the operation of the signal in the subscribers circuit.

12. The combination with a main tele- 7 phone circuit and a subscribers circuit, of

the shunting of the resistance in the fire alarm circuit for operating the fire alarm, and

a local trouble signal arranged to be actuated upon the operation of the signal in the subscribers circuit) v 13. The combination with a main telephone circuit and a subscribers circuit, of a signal included in the subscribers circuit, a

closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, an alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit,'means controlled by a break or ground in the fire alarm circuit for operating the signal in the subscribers circuit, means controlle by short circuiting the fire alarm circuit for operating the cuit.,

= alarm, and a local troublesignal arranged to be actuated upon the operation of the signal in the subscribers circuit.

14. The combination with a main telephone circuit, and a subscribers circuit, of a signaling relay included in the subscribers circuit, a closed fire alarm circuit adapted to control the subscribers circuit, a relay included in the fire alarm circuit, a fire alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by the armature of the fire alarm circuit relay for operating the signaling relay in the subscribers circuit, means controlled by the shunting of the fire alarm circuit relay for operating the alarm, and a 10- cal trouble signal arranged to be actuated upon the operation of the signaling relay in the subscribers circuit.

15. The combination with a main telephone circuit, and a subscribers circuit, of a alarm associated with the fire alarm circuit a and with the main telephone circuit, means controlled by the shunting of one of the fire alarm circuit relays for operating the signaling relay in the subscribers circuit, means controlled by the shunting of both the fire alarm circuit relays for operating the fire alarm, and a local trouble signal arranged to be actuated upon the operation of the signaling relay in the subscribers cir- DAVID G. DEE.

' Witnesses: 1 1

H. ELSTONEBfiAKER, RUSSEHTB. GRIFFITH. 

